Connector system

ABSTRACT

Connector systems are provided for electrical connection of multiple male and female contacts with one another, for both cable connections and circuit board connections. For the cable connections, latching elements are provided which axially latch the connectors together against axial disconnection, for use with cable connections. The latching members are configured to be detachable so as to permit use of the same basic connector with both cable connections and circuit board connections. In certain embodiments, the latching members can be selectively disconnected and reconnected to the connecting members to thereby improve the options for use of the connectors.

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of PCT Application PCT/CH00/00439, filed in Switzerland on Aug. 17, 2000.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention is related to a connector set and connectors of a connector set that is usable for connecting multi-contact electrical cables with one another, as well as to connect cables with single system boards and multiple system boards with each other.

[0003] In order to connect electrical cables, cables with system boards or single system boards with each other, a multitude of connector systems are being offered. These connector systems are all characterized in that, for each connection type, a special connector or a special connector system is being used.

[0004] A connector system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,261, which connector system consists of four connectors of which the first connector shows female contacts, the second connector shows male contacts, the third connector again shows female contacts and the forth connector again shows male contacts. Furthermore, the connectors are provided with discriminating elements in such a way that, while connecting, the first connector latches with the second, the second connector latches with the third, and the third connector latches with the first. Although the contacts of the third and the forth connector can be connected together, they cannot latch.

[0005] Therewith, all requirements, which arise from connecting cables with each other, from connecting system boards (i.e. so called PCB—Printed Circuit Boards) with each other and for connecting of a cable with a system board, can be met. These requirements result, besides other facts, from the fact that for cable connections and for connections between cables and system boards, the connecting pairs must latch. For the connection of system boards, a latching is not desired.

[0006] As already has been mentioned, the teaching according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,261 meets the aforementioned requirements by providing four connector types. However, the known teaching is relatively expensive in view of the high number of units which are particularly necessary for computer systems. In addition, the flexibility of the known connector system is considerably limited due to the fix guidelines. Implementations in small assembly spaces are only possible in a limited manner.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a connector system which does not have the aforementioned drawbacks.

[0008] This object is achieved according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention by providing latching elements which can be selectively used for cable connections and can be detached or removed for system or circuit board connections.

[0009] The present invention has the following advantages: By using latching elements which are removable from at least one connector, the number of connectors of a connector system can be reduced to a minimum of two connector types while, at the same time, the requirements to be met are fulfilled. Therefore, the assembly of the connectors and the selection can be simplified considerably. In particular, it is an advantage that the properties can still be adjusted after the assembly of a connector.

[0010] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The present invention will be further explained referring to drawings showing exemplified embodiments as follows:

[0012]FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a connector system including first and second connectors for removably connecting cables to one another, constructed according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0013]FIG. 2 is a sectional view depicting a latching arrangement for latching the first and second connectors of FIG. 1;

[0014]FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a third connector mounted at a circuit board and removably connectable with both a cable connector according to FIG. 1 and a modified form of that cable connector to be connected with a second circuit board, constructed in accordance with other preferred embodiments of the present invention;

[0015]FIG. 4 is a sectional view schematically depicting the latching connection between the third connector shown in FIG. 3 and the other connectors of FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0016]FIGS. 5A to 5B depict further arrangements of the connector and latching arrangements for connectors according to preferred embodiments of the present invention;

[0017]FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing another preferred embodiment of the present invention, utilizing selectively detachable and attachable latching members in the form of strip shaped members, formed for selectively latching the connectors together;

[0018]FIG. 7 is a further perspective view, taken in a different direction, of the system of FIG. 6;

[0019]FIG. 8 schematically depicts one of the connectors of FIGS. 6 and 7, with one of the strip shaped latching members detached; and

[0020]FIG. 9 depicts the other of the connecting members of FIGS. 6 and 7 with one of the strip shaped latching members in a detached position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In FIG. 1, a first connector 1 of the connector system according to the present invention is represented in a perspective view, which connector 1 is removably connectable to a second connector 2 a of the connector system according to the present invention. The connector 1 has a rectangular shaped connecting body 14 with female contacts 10 on its contact side. Accordingly, the second connector 2 a also has a rectangular shaped connecting cavity (not shown in FIG. 1) which receives the connecting body 14 while the connectors 1, 2 a are joined up, and, accordingly, the second connector 2 a is provided with male contacts 11 (not shown in FIG. 1, but visible in FIG. 3). The male and female contacts are arranged in such a manner that the connectors 1 and 2 a match when connected together. In addition, the outer shapes of the connectors 1 and 2 a are in line, the connecting body 14 matches to the connecting cavity, and the connecting body 14 and the connecting cavity have guiding grooves G or lines, respectively, in order that it is impossible to connect the connectors 1 and 2 a in a wrong manner.

[0022] Furthermore, the connectors 1 and 2 a have latching elements which prevent that the connectors 1, 2 a are releasable automatically after the coupling when forces act to pull the connectors 1 and 2 a apart. That is, the latching elements provide for special releasing in addition to tension forces for pulling the connector 1 and 2 a apart from one another.

[0023] The latching elements of the first connector 1 include tongues 6 arranged on the respective opposite lateral sides of the rectangular shaped connecting body 14. Each tongue 6 has two gudgeons 8 pointing outwards at its end on the contact side.

[0024] The latching elements of the second connector 2 a include two tongues 7 on each lateral side. Each tongue 7 has cavities 9 in which the corresponding gudgeon 8 of the connector 1 engage when the two connectors 1, 2 a are pushed together. To release the connection, the tongues 6 will be pressed inwards, i.e., laterally towards the connector body 14, to be precise, so far until the gudgeons 8 leave the cavities 9. Only then, the connection can be released by pulling of the connectors 1, 2 a in opposite directions.

[0025] In FIG. 2, a detailed view of a section at a right angle to the latching elements is represented for connectors 1, 2 a connected together. From this representation, it can be seen that both tongues 6 and 7 end in a tip seen in a cross section. The tips of the tongues 6 and 7 are arranged in a displaced manner for aligned connectors 1, 2 a not connected together. This allows a perfectly merging and latching of the latching elements of the connector 1 and 2 a.

[0026]FIG. 3 schematically depicts an arrangement according to preferred embodiments of the invention, including use thereof to connect connectors mounted at a circuit board. The connector 3 in FIG. 3 is similar to the connector 1 in FIG. 1 in that it includes a connector body 14 with female contacts 10. The connector 2 differs from connector 1 in that only one latching tongue 6A is included on each lateral side of the connector body 14, which latching tongues are offset vertically with an upper latching tongue 6A shown on the left side and a lower latching tongue 6B shown on the right side. Also, the latching tongues 6A and 6B include laterally inwardly facing gudgeons 8A, rather than lateral outwardly facing gudgeons 8 as in the connectors 1 of FIG. 1.

[0027] The connector 3 having female contacts 10 will preferably be positioned at the edge of the system board 13 in order that the merging or releasing of a connector 2 a (shown on the right side of FIG. 3) can take place in an easy way, which connector 2 a is connected to cables 12, according to the explanations to FIG. 1. It is also contemplated that the connector 3 is arranged at any position on the system board 13. In this case, one must consider that enough moving clearance is available in the area of the contacts of the connector 3 mounted on the system board 13 for the coupling or releasing of the connector 2 a to or from, respectively, the connector 13.

[0028] The connector 3 again comprises latching elements of the kind as have already been provided for the connector 1. In contrast, the gudgeons 8 are now pointing inwards, i.e. in direction towards the contacts 10. As a result, the gudgeons 8 of the tongue 6 engage with the cavities 9 of the tongue 7 from the outside. FIG. 4 shows the latching elements in detail for coupled connectors 3 and 2 a.

[0029] The connectors 2 a and 3 are also suitable for connecting of two system boards 13. For this arrangement, the connector 2 a is modified as shown at 2 b on the left side of FIG. 3 and connected to the system board 13 in a fixed manner. For this type of connection, it is desired that no latching element becomes active. According to the present invention, the connector 2 a is implemented in such a way that the latching elements are removable to form the configuration 2 b. The embodiment according to FIG. 3 provides that the tongues 7, which latch with the tongues 6A or their gudgeon 8A, respectively, will be removed. Thereto, the tongue 7 comprises a predetermined breaking point in the area of the base. When overshooting the permissible strain of the tongue by pushing sideways, it is guarantied that the tongue breaks at the desired position in the base area. Therewith, the tongue 6A reaches with its gudgeon 8 into empty space such that no releasing action is needed for releasing the connectors 2 b, 3.

[0030] For the preferred embodiment of the connector 2 a, all tongues 7 comprise a predetermined breaking point such that any combination with or without latching element emerge.

[0031] It is also conceivable that the tongues 6A of the connector 3, as well as the tongues 6 of the connector 1, are removable. Therewith, further combination possibilities are obtained for which, depending on the removable tongue, a connector is latching with one connector but not with another.

[0032] In FIGS. 5A to 5F, a further preferred embodiment of a connector system according to the present invention is shown. Therein, the basic connector type again consists of a rectangular shaped form. It goes without saying that the principle according to the present invention can also be applied on connector types which have no rectangular shaped form as already shown with the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 3.

[0033] Basically, the connector system according to FIGS. 5A to 5F only consists of two connector types of which one has female and the other has male contacts. The connectors according to the detailed views of FIGS. 5C and 5D have male contacts and the connectors according to the detailed views of FIGS. 5E and 5F have female contacts. The two connectors with male contacts as well as the two connectors with female contacts only differ in that different base elements 22 are used which have different shapes, depended on the use either as a cable connection or as a system board connection. On the side of the contacts, the connectors having male contacts and the connectors having female contacts, respectively, are shaped identically.

[0034] For the different uses and connection types, the two connector types have pre-manufactured selective latching elements consisting of removable latches and tongues corresponding to the ones according to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 3, the pre-manufactured latching elements being adjusted to the required use at the final assembly by removing single or several tongues 6, 6A, 7. Therewith, it becomes possible according to the present invention that, besides the selective latching, also the possibility of combining the used connectors can be adjusted. The differentiation, or the possible or the wanted connections, can further be characterized in that the single connectors are provided with color codes, then the connectors having tongues 6, 6A, 7 with the same color codes are to be combined.

[0035] The tongues 6, 6A, 7 of the latching elements 20, represented in FIGS. 5E and 5F, have, in contrast to the ones according to FIGS. 1 to 4, no predetermined breaking point. In turn, the latching elements 20 (detailed view of FIG. 5C) are removably connectable to the base element 22 of the connector as a whole. Thereto, the latching elements 20 have a V-shaped foot 21 at its distant end regarding the tongue 7 which is—again in relation to the tongue 6, 6A, 7—arranged sideways or preferably in a rectangular manner. The V-shaped foot 21 is received by corresponding V-shaped cavities 23 which can be found in the base element 22. The V-shaped cavities 23 are arranged on the connecting side of the cables or the system board, respectively. Thereby, in order to release the latching elements 20, they must be moved from the base element 22 in direction away from the connecting side. Therewith, it is ensured at the same time that the latching elements 20 of coupled and latched connectors can be set under stress without releasing the latching elements 20 from the base element 22.

[0036] As it can be seen from FIGS. 5A-5F, in particular the detailed view of FIG. 5A, in which a view on a base element 22 is shown on the side of a cable or system board connection—a connector, having female or male contacts, can have four latching elements 20 with V-shaped feet 21 as a maximum, to be precise, preferably according to the arrangement represented in the detailed view of FIG. 5A, for which arrangement two latching elements 20 are arranged on each side of the rectangular shaped connector body 14. Because all of the latching elements 20 are preferably removable, a connector can have one to four or also no latching elements 20. Therewith, the different combinational possibilities can be obtained: For example, it can be provided that one of the connectors is latching with another, although in combination with a further connector no latching occurs. The possible combinations resulting out of it can further be emphasized by a corresponding coloring close to the connectors or close to the latching elements, respectively.

[0037] FIGS. 6 to 9 depict other preferred embodiments of the invention where the latching members 106, 107 are bar type latches which can be selectively connected to and disconnected from their respective connectors 101, 102.

[0038]FIG. 7 shows a first connector 101, having male contacts and latching members 107 in the form of bent strip shaped members detachably connected in openings or recesses or the connector body 101. In FIG. 6 the female contacts are provided on a second connector member 102, which includes latching members 106, which are also strip shaped bent members, detachably engagable in recesses in the member 102.

[0039]FIGS. 8 and 9 schematically depict the connector members, showing one of the latching members in a detached position.

[0040] With this arrangement of FIGS. 6 to 9, as with the arrangement of FIGS. 5A-5C, the latching members are selectively detachable and attachable to the respective connector members such that the connector members can be used for cable to cable connections, board to cable connections and board to board connections. In the board to board connections, the respective latching members will be removed so that there is no latching, while in the cable connections the associated latching members will be in place and operable to latch the connected members against disconnection by movement in an axial direction of their contacts.

[0041] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be constructed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A connector system comprising: a first connector having at least a first contact and at least a first latching element; and a second connector, which is connectable to the first connector, having at least a second contact for engaging the at least a first contact, and at least a second latching element for engaging the at least a first latching element; wherein at least one of the latching elements is a removable latching element that is selectively removable from the connector to which it is attached.
 2. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the at least a first contact is a female contact.
 3. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the at least a second contact is a male contact.
 4. The connector system of claim 1, further comprising a third connector having at least a third contact and at least a third latching element.
 5. The connector system of claim 4, wherein the at least a third contact is a female contact.
 6. The connector system of claim 4, wherein the removable latching element is a permanently removable latching element that cannot be reattached to the connector once removed.
 7. The connector system of claim 6, wherein the permanently removable latching element is attached to a base element of the connector and includes a predetermined breaking point in a transition area between the base element and the permanently removable latching element.
 8. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the removable latching element includes a v-shaped portion, and the connector to which the removable latching element is attached includes a v-shaped channel for removably receiving the v-shaped portion.
 9. The connector system of claim 8, wherein the connector to which the removable latching element is attached includes a base portion, and the v-shaped channel is positioned proximate the periphery of the base portion.
 10. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the at least a first latching element includes a tongue having one or more protrusions, and the at least a second latching element includes a tongue having one or more cavities for releasably receiving the one or more protrusions, facilitating the connection of the first and second connectors.
 11. The connector system of claim 1, wherein: the first connector includes a generally rectangular base portion and the at least a first latching element includes two latching elements positioned on opposite ends of the base portion; and the second connector includes a generally rectangular base portion and the at least a second latching element includes two latching elements positioned on opposite ends of the base portion.
 12. The connector system of claim 11, wherein each of the latching elements of the first connector includes: a v-shaped portion; and a tongue having one or more protrusions.
 13. The connector system of claim 12, wherein the base portion of the first connector includes a pair of v-shaped channels, each configured to removably receive the v-shaped portion of one of the two latching elements of the first connector.
 14. The connector system of claim 12, wherein each of the latching elements of the second connector includes: a v-shaped portion; and a tongue having one or more cavities for releasably receiving the one or more protrusions, thus facilitating the connection of the first and second connectors.
 15. The connector system of claim 14, wherein the base portion of the second connector includes a pair of v-shaped channels, each configured to removably receive the v-shaped portion of one of the two latching elements of the second connectors.
 16. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the connectors are color coded to accommodate selective matching of respective connectors to be latched together.
 17. The connector system of claim 1, wherein latches of the respective connectors are provided with color codes to accommodate selective matching of respective connectors to be latched together.
 18. The connector system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said latching elements is part of bar shaped members which is adapted to be selectively attached to and detached from a respective connector.
 19. A connector system comprising: a first connector having at least a first contact and at least a first latching element; and a second connector, which is connectable to the first connector, having at least a second contact for engaging the at least a first contact, and at least a second latching element for engaging the at least a first latching element; wherein at least one of the latching elements is a permanently removable latching element that cannot be reattached to the connector once removed.
 20. The connector system of claim 19, wherein the permanently removable latching element is attached to a base element of the connector and includes a predetermined breaking point in a transition area between the base element and the permanently removable latching element.
 21. A connector with female and/or male contacts, which connector has a base element, having cavities on a side opposite a plugable side of the connectors, said cavities being configured for receiving respective latching elements operable in use to latch the connector to another connector.
 22. A connector according to claim 21, wherein the recesses are v-shaped.
 23. A connector according to claim 21, wherein said recessed are configured to facilitate selective attachment and detachment of respective latching elements.
 24. A connector assembly comprising: a first connector member having a plurality of contacts, a second connector member having a plurality of second contacts, configured to accommodate engagement of the respective ones of the second contacts with the first contacts when said first and second connector members are connected to one another by movement of said connector members toward each other in an axial direction, first latching means provided at said first connector member, and second latching means provided at said second connector and operable to latchingly engage respective ones of said first latching means to latch said connector members together so as to prevent separation of said connecting members unless at least one of the latching means is moved transverse to said axial direction, wherein said latching means are selectively removable to thereby permit connection and disconnection of said connector members without latching of said connector members to one another, whereby said connector members can be selectively used to connect cables having sets of said contacts and circuit boards having sets of said contacts.
 25. A connector assembly according to claim 24, comprising color coding at respective ones of at least one of respective sets of said latching means, sets of said contacts to facilitate matching of respective connector members.
 26. A connector assembly according to claim 24, wherein at least one of said latching means is permanently detachable from its associated connecting member.
 27. A connector assembly according to claim 24, wherein at least one of said latching means is part of a detachable member which can be selectively attached to and detached from its associated connecting member.
 28. A connector assembly according to claim 27, wherein said at least one latching means is part of a strip shaped member insertable into a recess provided on its associated connecting member.
 29. A connector for assembly according to claim 28, wherein said strip shaped member and said recess are configured to accommodate selective interlocking of said strip shaped member and connector member to prevent relative movement thereof in said axial direction.
 30. A connector for assembly according to claim 25, wherein said latching means include a plurality of latching members at each of said connecting members.
 31. A connector for assembly according to claim 30, wherein said latching members are strip shaped bent members which can be selectively attached to and detached from their respective associated connecting members.
 32. A connector assembly according to claim 31, comprising color coding at respective ones of at least one of respective sets of said latching means, sets of said contacts to facilitate matching of respective connector members. 